The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-01

Correspondent Country Gentleman.
Cold weather found us with portion of our
corn crop unhusked. and our men complaining of
cold fingers AS an experiment we took old
one-horse power, spike cylinder threshng ma
chine, without cleaning attachment, with con
over the cylinder, which raised about
three fourths of an inch to give the pieces of
cobs room to pass through; then passed the
stalks through tops first, of course using judg
ment in not feeding go fast to reduce speed,
which is essential in threashng clean. We ex-
pected at least to break some teeth but have not
done so, and see reason why a we'll made
cylinder will not work for long period without
damage. and for that matter our agrieulturalim
plement-makers could easily make a cylinder
and concave that would stand the heaviest work
for years
We found it required little more power thar
for oats, which can be remsdied by setting the
power a little sleeper. or as we did. by detach-
ing the shaker. 1t tears the ears from the stalks
breaks the cobS IN pieces and shells as clean
any shelter. 1t tears the stalks up that they
can be pitched and fed the same as straw. aud in
such shape that we prefer them for feeding to
those cut with the power cutter The corn and
broken eobs We run through the tanning mill,
which separates the corn from the cobs and the
cobs from the chaff, so if there is any corn left
OH the cobs it he fed to the chickens. sheep.
or any animals ihy machine threshes about ten
bushels shelied corn per hour and a two-horse
or steam power would thresh proportionately
faster. The higher the speed the better work,
both in threshing clean and shreddng the stalks.
1t costs here ten cents per bushe of ears to
get corn husked and stalks bound, and at least
onehaf more for Smelling, making fifteen cents
per bushel nearly one-half the whole cost of
raising corn on our black loan fats With this
process the husking and Smelling costs virtually
nothing, consider the tearing M of the
stalks worth all the time it takes and we can
run load of corn through the thresher as
quickly as we can cut up load of stalks with
the Ross Guitar, with the same power 1t breaks
a small portion of the kernels, which does no
damage for feeding or grinding. for home
market.
So much in favor now for the objections. If
the is drawn in and packed in body, it will
be liable to heat before threshng My remedy
for this will be to stack in the field around poles
tied together at the top and spread at the bot
tom, and also poles laid on the ground, raised
| enough to admit air. and prevent the stalks
/ freezing fast to the ground, and then cap with
cotton cloth soaked oil. This will keep the
stalks and corn in good condition, and we can
| draw in stack or more wanted, and thresh
and use, if we wish, before drawing more.
The next objection is that the corn threshed
out and put in a bin would heat. There are two
! ways of avoiding s-either to feed out your
| corn to stock, as we do, without putting in the
| bln or to build bin of perforated tin or sheet
| iron, not over eighteen inches through, but as
| long and as high as you wish, with sufficient
timbers to nail to and sustain it. Such bin,
ten feet long and ten feet high. would hold about
liz bushels, and would dry the shelled corn
without difficulty; it would also have the ad-
vantage of being mouse proof. chute would
need to be made at the bottom to draw off the
corn. In small way the corn could be dried ON
| the barn floor This method of Smelling corn
will not be OF advantage TO all, but to farmers
having machines and wishing to feed the corn
and stalks to stock would say "try it. and
they will find as an incredulous neighbor said,
after looking for whiie Sit does the bust
ness"